Want to Believe
by That One Eccedentesiast
Summary: England's reminded of the past as he watches Australia put Wy to bed. COMPLETE.


**_Want to Believe_**

* * *

Stirring his tea, England watched quietly as Australia got up from the table to go to Wy who was nodding off beneath the television. The younger man put a hand on the girl's back, "Wy;" he whispered. "I think you should head up to bed."

The skinny girl swatted away the hand. "_No_.." she whined. "Five more minutes."

"You're falling asleep!" The man argued with the micronation.

Covering his mouth, the blond man did his best to hide his smirk. He remembered days like these...stubborn children, unwilling to concede to sleep even when it was apparent the sandman was sprinkling his sands as they spoke.

_"Up lad." _

_"Don' wanna.." a child's sleepy slur refuted._

A shriek tore him out of memory lane, peeking more into the Australian's living room; he saw the Koala-loving man had thrown his sister over his shoulder.

"Down! Put me down!" The imperious little girl demanded; her ineffectual fists beating at his shoulders.

Bouncing her body a little as he walked toward the hall, Australia grunted; "Tough luck kid."

Listening as they drifted down the hall, the Englishman had no reason to stop his mind's pull.

_Smoothing the blanket over the lithe body, he saw a multitude of eyes, faces and hair flash before his eyes. But the one, most important thing, never changed. The love. Bending down, Arthur put a kiss to the small brow;_

_"Goodnight love," he whispered._

_Tiny arms wrapped around his neck. "Goodnight!" Their echo that of a thousand children's voices. _

(Just how many children had England care for in his long, long life? Not just Nations, he knows, he'd never been capable of resisting the large needy eyes and ruddy cheeks).

_Suddenly, Arthur has switched positions. He's the lad tucked in a bed, a featureless face hovers above him, _

_"Sleep well," they say and Arthur hears several familiar tones. It's like he's listening to France, Scotland, Ireland and...someone else all at the same time. The Englishman can feel his small hands yearning up, grasping for clothes, hair, hands; anything to keep them close. The one he loves most..._

The chair screeched across tile. Flushing, Australia rubbed at the back of his sun burnt neck. "Sorry 'bout that England...couldn't let her fall asleep like that in front of the telly, she'd wake up in the mornin' with all sorts of cricks."

The blond waved him off with a smile. "No worries," he told him. "Remember, I've raised many-you included-I know how difficult children can be." And he chuckled. Drawing one from the reluctant man before him.

"...Don't remind me," he half-smiled, half-grimaced. "If Wy hears, she's going to want to know all the dirt you have on me!"

Arthur took a sip of his tea, warming himself from the belly up. Australia had a point, he liked talking about the old days...it was hard to find people who wanted to listen to an old man like him talk. He probably wouldn't care if they had another purposes in asking. Just having someone soak up his stories would be enough for him.

"My lips are sealed lad," Arthur muttered, putting down his cup.

_"Won't you stay 'til I'm asleep!" Arthur cried after them, the dark closing in, choking the warmth away. _

_No one pauses, no one stays._

_"Please!" A child's voice begged._

_The adult once more, England turned to the youth beneath the covers. Standing there between light and dark, he made his choice. Walking back, he took a seat on the side of a million children's besides and asked; _

_"Would you like to hear a story?"_

_Large, glittering eyes gaze back at him. The answer hanging heavy in the air before they can even utter the word. _

_Yes..._

The Englishman doesn't know how much these children have learned. They repeat the mistakes Arthur suffered so greatly from, never realizing the hurt they inflict by leaving their charges alone in the dark before they are ready. Before they are strong enough to withstand the loneliness. Putting down his cup, Arthur smiled at his host.

"I'm beat," he told Australia; "Would you mind greatly if I went to sleep? The jet lag is getting to me."

Summer green blinked. "Sure.." he answered.

Taking his leave, England cast one last odd smile the other's way.

Stopping beside Wy's door, he threw a final look backwards. Twisting the handle, he opened it to find brown open in the dim room. Taking a step in, he greeted; "Hello love, would you like to hear a story?"

He can hear the rustling and saw her scoot over.

"Yes."

And Arthur closed his eyes and _grinned._

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**So what do you think? I was trying out a style similar to one I executed in a Naruto fic of mine called _Back to Days, _but I attempted to make it a little more complex in this fic.**

**Thanks for reading and let me know what you think with a review!**


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